Luvenia Cates

God in His Infinite Mercy and Grace called His beloved child, Luvenia from her earthly home to His eternal heavenly home. In the early morning of January 1, 2013 LUVENIA EVANS CATES quietly slipped away to meet her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, parents, brothers, sisters, relatives and friends. Luvenia was born on November 20, 1922 to the late James Evans and Lessie Robinson Evans in Cheraw, Chesterfield County, South Carolina. She was preceded in death by her elder brothers, Walker and Claude Evans and her elder sisters, Leola Evans and Dotsie Mae Rice. Luvenia was the youngest child. She received her early education in the Cheraw, South Carolina Public Schools and completed her secondary education while living with her aunt and uncle in Washington D.C. She moved to Baltimore, Maryland in 1947 to live and work with her brother, Claude and his wife, Viola. She met Willie A. Cates and they were married in 1948. She was a devoted wife and never left his side; even until death. From this union four children were born: Willie J. Cates (Butch), Joyce V. Cates-Vaughan, Quinton A. Cates and Jerris L. Cates. As a child, she was nurtured and raised in a loving Christian home and she began her spiritual walk at the Pleasant Grove A.M.E. Zion Church, where she was active in many church activities. When she moved to Baltimore, she continued serving God at the Knox Presbyterian Church and participated in many different ministries, i.e. Deacon Board, Presbyterian Women, the Soup Kitchen and the Golden Nuggets, just to name a few. “Lue,” as she was loving called by family and friends, made sure her children were raised in Church. She always told them to do the very best that they could and know that your help will always come from the Lord because He loves you and is always with you. She held various jobs in the beginning to help support her family, but found her passion as a barber. She received her training at the Apex Barber Academy. She worked for the Rosewood State Hospital as a barber for over twenty years and worked alongside her husband, Willie at the family owned Cates Barber Shop. Luvenia retired from the State of Maryland in 1986 and began to attend the Oliver Center; she also attended the Ripken Learning Center to improve her reading and math abilities. In her later years, she enjoyed traveling. She made the annual trips with the Golden Nuggets and she traveled abroad with her daughter, Jerris to Rome, Italy, Austria and Germany. Luvenia , who loved her family with all her heart showed it by moving her elderly parents from South Carolina to Baltimore to live with her family. She also went to South Carolina to care for her aunts, Essie Robinson and Maggie Howard. When her sister, Leola could no longer live alone, Luvenia moved her from Brooklyn, New York to Baltimore to care for her in her home. Luvenia leaves to mourn: her four loving children, Willie J. Cates (Arlene), Joyce V. Cates–Vaughan, Quinton A. Cates (Colleen) and Jerris L. Cates; five grandchildren, Derrick E. Vaughan, Troy A. Cates (Darice), Wesley D. Vaughan, Ebony N. Cates and Tiffney A. Cates; great-grandchildren, Alexandria, Tavon, Brianna, Troy Jr., DaAliyah, David, Santino, Neveah and Nia; two sisters-in-law, Viola Evans and Margaret Evans; a host of nieces and nephews, relatives and friend.

Tributes

Luvenia Cates

November 20, 1922 - January 1, 2013